As my roommates and I watched the VMAs, we all were absolutely thrilled when Alicia Keys came out and gave an incredible tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. She also sang an overwhelmingly beautiful acapella song. (Here is the video if you missed it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv5_VtOPpxg) But, for some reason this morning when I opened Twitter, I only saw articles and tweets about how people were upset that she didn’t wear makeup to the VMAs. Alicia Keys is beyond talented and gave an emotional speech yet, the only thing people were talking about IS HER MAKEUP? Alicia Keys is a 15-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer AND is a New York Times best-selling author YET she is somehow still being criticized for going makeup free.
For those of you do not know, Alicia Keys has been going all natural since about May. She wrote an incredibly powerful article that was published in Lenny Letter, which is an online newsletter that is sent out Biweekly and was created by Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner. (The article: http://www.lennyletter.com/style/a410/alicia-keys-time-to-uncover/) In the article she writes about how she was tired of women constantly being judged, stereotyped and brainwashed into feeling a certain way. These feelings were reflected in her music and as a result she was feeling that maybe she wasn’t good enough. She became insecure about leaving the house without makeup or looking bad in a photograph. However, one photoshoot changed her entire perspective.
Paola was the photographer who was taking the pictures for Keys new album. Paola saw Keys in her gym clothes and thought that she looked as beautiful and raw as the music she was creating. Like most other people, Keys was nervous and uncomfortable about being shot without any makeup on. However, Keys says “And I swear it is the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful that I have ever felt” about the photoshoot. And as a result, Keys has started going make up free.
So, for anyone who is hating on Alicia Keys, it is important to know the backstory because something that was Keys biggest fears turned into something that caused her to feel free. And the hatred is exactly what she and so many others face every day and feel insecure of being makeup free because of what might happen.
Thank you Alicia Keys for being so inspirational to me and so many other girls.